ASSIGNMENTS
Summer
1998
Reading
Commentaries
Reading is an important part of the course. Five reading commentaries are
to be submitted at intervals during the class. Due dates are listed on
the schedule. You should plan to read at
least 30-40 hours on the topic of user education during the next 2 1/2
weeks. Reading will comes from the two textbooks, the extensive reserve
reading list, and your own discovery reading -- current journals, books,
web sites, etc.
A reading commentary may take the form of an annotated critical biography
or a short reflective essay (2 pages) weaving your own thoughts with
reactions to what you read. Complete citations for the textbooks and
items on the reserve list may be omitted but will be necessary for other
items. Your reading commentaries should be posted in the student
directory for the course. Please look at those submitted by your
colleagues from time to time (can even be included as part of your reading
if you like).
Each reading commentary can earn up to 10 points for a maximum of 50
points. A good grade will be a 7-8 (See grading section of syllabus for more
detail.
Readings will be discussed in class according to the broad topic
list provided in the schedule. Please be prepared to contribute to
the discussion.
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Teaching Portfolio
The contents of your teaching portfolio are to be negotiated with the
instructor by or before the third session of the class (July 22). Some of
the possible contents include:
- one or more lesson plans for group
instruction using different presentation modes (i.e., lecture,
demonstration, discussion, active learning)
- one or more designs for independent tutorials or guides (web-based
or published in some form)
- an evaluation of one or more existing lesson plans (available in books
and journal articles from reserve list or from web
sites
- a presentation of at least one of your efforts to the class.
A maximum of 50 points can be earned for your teaching portfolio weighted
as you specify.
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Project/Paper
The project or paper may take one of several forms. For example, you
might plan an instructional program for a given setting considering the
needs of the community, the characteristics of the target audience, the
available resources, the mission, goals and objectives (not to mention
your own learning philosophy). Or you could develop a syllabus for a
distance learning course, or an extended workshop or a series of shorter
training sessions. Or you could write an analytical paper examining one
of the many issues surrounding the topic of user education, e.g., active
learning, use of teachnology, diversity/multicultural/international
factors, ethics in teaching, motivation, faculty/librarian collaboration,
or other.
Your choice of activity to fulfill the project or paper requirement is
subject to negotiation. Please be prepared to proffer a tentative
proposal by Wednesday, July 22. Select a project based on your own
interests and aspiration.
We will discuss possibilities during the first two days of the course.
Your extensive reading during the first several days as well should help
suggest possibilities to you.
A maximum of 50 points can be earned on the paper or project. A grade of
35-40 equates to a letter grade of P and will be considered highly
satisfactory.
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Send me email at Evelyn
Daniel for further one-on-one discussion about the assignments.
All rights reserved.
Page revised 7/16/98.